Shoe-form.



c. H. HOLMES.

SHOE FORM.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.24, I912.

' Patented Apr. 27, 1915.

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flHtiJlL-FORM.

specification at Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. Wt, lhth.

application area August at, tars. serial are. meant.

To all whom it m ay concern:

c it known that 1, CHARLES H. llomrns,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Brockton, in the county of Plymouth and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have invented certain Improvements in Shoe Forms, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like reference characters on the drawings indicating like parts in the several figures.

This invention relates to shoe forms or trees 1 Before shoes are packed for shipment from a shoe factory, they usually are stretched over a form shaped to fill out the entire shoe and the uppers are cleaned, dressed and smoothed, frequently with the aid of a hot iron, givin the shoe a neat and finished appearance. uch of this work, however, is undone in the packing and shipping of the shoes so that, by the time they arrive in a retail store, the uppers, and particularly the to s or quarters, are more or less wrinkled. his edect is especially objectionable if the shoes are to be used for display purposes, as for instance, in a showwindow. It is the usual practice to remedy these defects to some extent by inserting forms or fillers in the shoes before they are placed in the window; but this expedient only artially overcomes the objection mentione and is itself objectionable in that the forms or tillers give the shoes a stifi and heavy appearance and do not support the tops of the shoes. For these reasons window trimmers generally seek to avoid, so tar as possible, the use of such devices. It is very diiiicult, however, to give the shoe the desired appearance by the use of any apparatus commonly found in retail stores. While the desired results could be partially obtained by using the treeing or dressing machines and devices commonl employed in shoe factories, it is impractica le to equip a retail store with apparatus of this character both for the reason that such apparatus is comparatively complicated and expensive, but more particularly for the reason that this apparatus is designed especially for stretching and filling out the lorepart of the shoe and for dressing and smoothing out the leather. whereas thewindow trimmers problems consist not only in producing a smoothly finishing surface on the leather, but in so shaping the shoe as to make it look easy and comfortable and particularly in shaping the shoe top in a satisfactory manner.

To devise a shoe form which shall meet these requirements and which shall be adapted to lit a variet of styles and sizes of shoes constitutes the cliief object of this invention.

lln the accompanying drawings,-l*igure 1 is a perspective view partly in section of a form constructed in accordance with this invention; Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the olpposite side of the form shown in Fig. 1; ig. 3 is a perspective view of a modification; and Fig. 4 is a front elevation of the form shown in Fig. 3.

Referring particularly to Figs. 1 and 2 the form there shown comprises an ankle portion 2 which ma be of a length suited to the requirements 0 the shoes to be treated, the construction shown, however, being adapted to treat the usual styles of shoes. Preferably the dimensions of the ankle from front to back are greater than normal, that is compared with the corresponding dimensions of the ankle of the wearer for which this size of shoe is intended, but from side to side, the dimensions are less than normal. This arrangement avoids the top heavy appearance that is given to the shoe by the ordinary treein-g forms, and causes the top of a shoe shaped on this form toappear thin when viewed from the front or back, giving it an appearance more in keeping with the general st le of a first class shoe. For the purpose 0 imparting to the shoe top a natural appearance, the ankle portion is pro vided on opposite sides with rounded projections at corres ending to the ankle bones. The heel 6 and instep 8 are of approximately normal shape and proportions.

Since the shoes ordinarily used for display purposes diiier little in size, the mens shoes usually ranging from 6-,}; to 71],; and; the womens shoes from 31} to it, and since these difli'erences in size and the differences in style adect mainly the foot portion of the shoe, the dimensions of the top being only slightly afl ected, it is evident that a single form can be used in all the sizes of mens shoes, for instance, it it does not extend into the foot of the shoe. Accordingly, the form shown is cut oil along a plane extending up proximately from the forward extremity or the insteptoa point just below the rounded extremity of the Heel. F this p rp 8-1 the form is beveled, as indicated at 10, to form a portion corresponding to the hollow of the arch of the foot.

It is preferable for many purposes to h e the front of the ankle rounded smoothly as in the construction shown in Figs. 3 and 4, but in some cases, as for-instance, in treating so called custom shoes, particularly if they are provided with blind eyelets, a more shapely appearance can be given to the shoe if it is ironed on a form having a flat face along the front of the ankle. This arrangement is shown at 12, Figs. 1 and 2, in which the flat face extends from the top of the form downwardly into the upper portion of the instep. This face forms a very convenient surface on which to iron out the tongue of the shoe. The form shown in Figs. 3 and 4 is substantially like that shown in Figs. 1 and 2, except for the difierence just noted. A Socket 14 is formed in the top of'each form for the reception of any suitably constructed support.

The usual methodof treating a shoe on one of these forms'consists first in dampening the shoe lining and rubbing owdered starch into it. The foot portion 0 the shoe is then packed with tissue paper, waste or any similar material, and the form is insert'ed in the shoe. The packing enables the form to be tilted backward or forward to fit the cut or rake of the shoe top. The shoe next is buttoned or laced on the form and the wrinkles are rubbed out with the hand so far as possible. A heated iron of the kind commonly used in ironing shoes is then rubbed over the entire surface of the top, smoothing out the wrinkles and causing the stock to conform to the shape of the form. It should be noted that the form is in a single piece,,thus providing a smooth continuous surface upon which the upper can be ironed. The forward extremity of the instep usually extends under or slightly in advance of the seam by which the vamp and quarter 'are united. After the ironing operation is completed, the shoe is allowed to setfor a few minums to dry out thoroughly after which it is unlaced or unbuttoned and removed carefully from the form.

It is obvious that a form for low cut shoes would not'require the construction'of ankle above described. While the forms have been described with particular reference to the requients of the retail shoe trade, it will be evident that they are not limited to this particular use.

Having thus described my invention, what 5. claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1 A shoe form comprising an ankle portion, heel and instep portionsof approxi mately normal shape and proportions, the surfaces of all the said portions being continuous with each other, said form having a bottom face extending substantially from the forward extremity of the instep to a point just below the rounded extremity of the heel, and being cut away along the portion corresponding to the hollow of the arch.

2. A shoe form comprising an ankle portion, heel and instep portions of approximately normal shape and proportions, the surfaces of all the said portions being continuous with each other, said form having a bottom face extending substantially from the forward extremity of the instep to a point just below the rounded extremity of the heel, and having a flat face extending along the front of the ankle and into the upper portion of the instep.

3. A shoe form comprising an ankle portion of dimensions greater than normal from front to back but less than normal from side to side, heel and instep portions of approximately normal shape, the surfaces of all the said portions being continuous with each other, said form having a bottom face extending substantially from the forward extremity of the instep to a point just below the rounded extremity of the heel, and having a beveled face forming a portion correspondin to the hollow of the arch, said ankle portion having lateral projections corresponding to the ankle bones.

4. A shoe form comprising an ankle portion of dimensions greater than normal from front to back but less than normal from side to side, and having lateral projections corresponding to the angle bones, heel and instep portions of approximately normal shape, all of said portions having continuous surfaces to support the upper of a shoe, said form having a flat bottom face extending substantially from the forward extremity of the instep to a point just below the rounded extremity of the heel, a beveled portion corresponding to the hollow of the arch of the foot, and a flat face formed along the front of the ankle and the upper portion of the instep. a

in testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

' CHARLES H. HOLMES.

Witnesses:

Jenn H. GORDON,- J'orm S. Hanson.

rise Era Letters Patent he. M31144,

@srres it is hereby certified that in. Letters Patent No. 1,137,141, granted April 27,

1915, upon "the eppiieation of @heries H. Heimes, 0i Hrochton, Maissschusetts, ier

2m improvement in Shoe-Forms, mi error appears in the printed specification requiring -correction its follows: Page 1, line 55, for the Word finishing reed finished; end that the said Letters Patent should he read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record oi" the ease in the Petent Uficeu Signed midi sealed this 5th ehty of @ctoher, A. 11915.

mm 7 R. r. WHITEHEAD,

Acting Umnmism'oner efPateiitr. 

